


sing me a lullaby and send me home

by siojo



Series: Marco's Daycare (and side stories) [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Daycare, Family Feels, Hospitals, M/M, Mild Language, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2019-06-07 23:47:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15230712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siojo/pseuds/siojo
Summary: Ace is tired and feeling more than a little guilty about not being able to take Luffy to the zoo today like he promised. Luffy just want to go home and spend time with Ace.





	sing me a lullaby and send me home

Ace stares blankly at the coffee machine, his eyes burning from lack of sleep and long hours staring at paperwork and an emergency surgery that he had been forced to take over for one of the other doctors. He wasn’t even sure he was able to make it another six hours when his shift was over and he could go home and collapse in his bed to sleep.

 

“Is that caffeinated?” Dr. Water asks startling Ace from his thoughts. “Sorry, but I need to know.”

 

“Yeah, I made it. Should be done in a minute,” Ace answers scrubbing his eyes and thinking longingly of his bed again, the soft blankets and pillows he can just sink into. “Is the napping area open or am I gonna have to attempt sleeping on the plastic chairs again?”

 

She hums, trying to find a cup and giving up, pulling out a bowl instead, and pouring in enough sugar to cover the bottom of it, “I think it was open? But I haven’t checked in the last twenty five minutes and you know how quickly that can change. They’ve added some very nice napping pads, like the ones at the daycare.”

 

“God, I felt so bad this morning,” Ace says shaking his head and pulling his mug from his pocket and ignoring the raised eyebrow from Dr. Water. “Luffy wasn’t exactly happy when I dropped him off, we were suppose to go to the zoo.”

 

“Law wasn’t much better. At least Lami’s too young to understand, but Law ignored his father and I all morning because we were suppose to go to the natural history museum,” she accepts the carafe with care. Ace can almost see the debate that he had with himself on her face, before she fills her bowl. “I don’t suppose the rumor mill’s given you anything about how fucking long we’re going to suffer?”

 

Ace shakes his head draining his cup and pouring another one quickly, “Not a word and with the emergency shutdown of the Westside Hospital, we’ve taken in a fourth of their patients and there’s been no word about their personnel or if we’re hiring more.”

 

“You’re still technically a resident, you’re owed four days off. Fuck I’m owed six. And that’s mostly because I put in for time off and they cancelled it last minute for this shit,” Dr. Water sighs. “I heard Kureha is going to report them for you, so that you get some fucking sleep.”

 

“And go to the zoo,” Ace groans. “Luffy’s been looking forward to the zoo and I can’t say no. The last time he saw the monkeys were with his mom before she died.”

 

“Jesus,” she hisses through her teeth. “Alright come on, we’re gonna nap. We’re going to nap because I have a surgery in,” she blinks at her smartwatch and whines. “I can’t read this,” she pushes a button and nods. “It’s noon.”

 

Ace snorts, “Analog clocks fucking with you already?”

 

“I can’t remember what the numbers mean or the little arms,” Dr. Water admits. “Which is why I like digital ones better. I’ve got two hours before I need to start my prep work and I want those hours to nap. When is your’s?”

 

“Four,” Ace answers collapsing onto one of the mats because he’s too tired, wiggling out of his lab coat and balling it up to lay his head on. “I’ve got six alarms on my phone. And enough battery to shut it down afterwards and get an Uber to the daycare.”

 

“I hate Uber so much, I give them so much money, but their corporate is shit and the drivers are hit and miss. But taxis here are even worse, so fuck it.”

 

Ace laughs, burying his face into his lab coat, “I’m going to sleep, please don’t kick me in the face again or I will cry and tell Luffy where I hide my permanent markers so that Law will get them.”

 

Dr. Water groans, “Law’s already in trouble for painting surgical lines on Sachi’s chest, don’t enable him. His uncle, Roci, took him to see a movie last week and now he wants death on his hand, one letter per a finger. I almost murdered Roci. I worry he’ll get a permanent marker and write it himself.”

 

“Fuck, that’s hilarious,” Ace yawns. “Alright, I’m passing out now. Remember my words, woman.”

 

“Brat.”

* * *

  
  


“‘Lo?” Ace groans, rolling onto his side, phone pressed to his ear as he blinks up at the ceiling. “Dr. Portgas speaking.”

 

“I’m sorry for calling you, Dr. Portgas, I know that you’re busy right now. It’s Marco Newgate, Luffy’s daycare teacher.”

 

“Marco? What happened? Did Luffy bite someone else? I thought I had convinced him to stop doing that,” Ace shifts, staring blankly at the analog clock above the door before giving up on telling the time. “What time is it?”

 

“Two thirty, did,” Marco sounds uncertain. “Did I wake you?”

 

Ace can hear something muffled in the background, he’s not sure what it is but it’s familiar, “We can steal naps when it’s busy like this and I had an extra surgery added to my docket. I needed it. What happened to Luffy?”

 

“Ace?”

 

Oh no, Ace closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, “Hey buddy, what’s wrong? You been crying? I thought you were having fun with Mr. Marco today?”

 

“I wanna go home,” Luffy sniffles. “I wanna go home and I wanna sleep with you and go to the zoo and-” Luffy hiccups and Ace feels like a failure. “Ace, I wanna go home!”

 

“I know,” Ace says softly, nails biting into the palm of his hand. “I know, buddy. You wanna go home and I wanna be able to take you to the zoo, so badly. I’m sorry. I wish I could, I’m sorry.”

 

“Why can’t the hospickle get more people?” Luffy sobs. “I wanna go home. Please, wanna go home, Ace.”

 

Ace winces, “I know, I’m sorry buddy. I’m so, so sorry. I can’t leave work right now and I want to be able to take us both home right now, but I can’t. I wish that I could,” this is why he thought it was best to let Luffy live with his parents. “I can ask Tia and Tio to come get you, okay? Or Shanks. But I can’t, not for four more hours.”

 

It hurts so much more when Luffy keeps sobbing, Ace feels so useless. He can’t change that his work is killing him and everyone else that’s been called in, none of them have had a day off in the last month and they’re not looking to have any free time for at least another month if they’re lucky. He can’t change that he would do anything to leave now and make Luffy better, but he can’t.

 

“Luffy, buddy,” Ace tries.

 

“I want Ace! Ace!”

 

“Luffy.”

 

“Please. Please, Ace?”

 

Ace closes his eyes and tries not to start crying, he’s tired and stressed and Luffy’s in tears, begging him to come home, “You know I can’t. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, so so sorry. Luffy, please don’t cry again more,” he takes a second to pull his thoughts together. “Tio could pick you up or Shanks.”

 

“I hate you!”

 

“He’s run into the bathroom,” Marco says softly, after a long moment of silence. “I’m sorry, I thought that calling you would help calm him down, I didn’t think that it would end like this.”

 

Ace sniffs, “No, no. It’s fine, Marco. You couldn’t have known that Luffy would have reacted like that. I’m, fuck. Shit, sorry.”

  
“I’ve taken you off speaker, don’t worry.”

 

“Thank you,” Ace laughs, feeling his eyes burning again. “I’ll call my mom to come and get him, I think it was a bad idea to bring him in. I thought his friends would keep him from…”

 

Marco hums, “you’re going to have to get a day off soon. You’re overworking yourself and it’s going to end badly.”

 

“I know,” Ace whispers softly. “I know, we’re all having a bad time with this. But if I call out, it’s only going to be worse. There’s not really a good way to try and fix this.”

 

“I’m sorry for waking you up, Ace. I’ll go and try to talk Luffy out of the bathroom and call Rouge.”

 

“No, I’ll call her,” Ace pinches the bridge of his nose. “Marco, thank you, for taking care of Luffy and I’m sorry that he’s upset. I hope this won’t affect him staying at the daycare?”

 

Marco laughs, softly and Ace can almost see the grin on his face, “I think if we kicked out every child that had a break down when they were cranky, we wouldn’t have much of a daycare. If you see Dr.’s Trafalgar or Water, let them know that Law’s on his way to having the same problem.”

 

“I will, thank you again. For letting Luffy call me.”

 

“You’re welcome.” Ace smiles at his feet because Marco is sweet and he knows this isn’t the daycare’s phone, because he has a particular ringtone set up for that. “I’ll go talk to Luffy. If he decides to stay, I’ll inform Rouge, if you’re going to call her?”

 

“I am, thank you again.”

 

Ace stares at his feet for a long moment after he’s hung up, feeling every bit as useless as he had the first time that Luffy had gotten sick on his watch. It hurts and Ace wants to cry as badly as he had heard Luffy crying. He takes another breath and calls his mother, trying to focus.

 

“Ace? Is something wrong, honey?” Rouge asks.

 

Ace smiles, “Sorry mom, but I think you’re going to have to get Luffy from daycare for me. It’s,” he sighs tiredly. “He’s not happy about work and I think he’s overly tired. He, he said he hates me.”

 

Rouge sighs, “he’s just upset. I can go and get him for you. You should get a day off soon or I think it’s only going to get worse.”

 

“I know,” Ace has heard this so many time. He’s so tired of hearing this because he can’t change what is happening. “I know. I’m hoping that we would have some help soon.”

 

“I’ll stop, honey. I know that you can’t change it, I’m just,” she’s frowning, Ace knows that she is. “I wish you would do anything else. You have the means to never do anything and your father says you have a talent for stocks.”

 

Ace snorts, “I like being a surgeon. I have to go, I have a surgery in an hour, just please pick up Luffy? Marco will let you know if he wants to stay.”

 

“Of course dear.”

* * *

  
  


Luffy sniffs, “I don’t really hate him.”

 

“I know and Ace knows that too,” Marco promises rubbing his back softly. “He’s very sorry that his work keeps doing this.”

 

“Do I have to go home with tia? I,” he rubs his face and wiping his nose on his sleeve. “I don’t wanna go home with tia. I wanna stay here and wait for Ace,” he shifts and Marco leans down because Luffy wants to ask something. “Can you help me make a card?”

 

“A card?” Marco asks slowly.

 

“Ace gave tia a card when he made her mad, so maybe if I give Ace a card, wouldn’t that make him forgive me and not be mad? I don’t want Ace to be mad at me, Mr. Marco.”

 

Marco smiles, “I’m sure that Ace won’t be mad at you, Luffy. But we can make a card, come on, we’ll go to the art table and I’ll write what you want and you can decorate it.”

 

“Yeah!” Luffy bounces, careful to avoid everyone else, still napping. “Mr. Marco, did Ace,” he bites his lip and Marco raises an eyebrow. “Did he say that he didn’t want me anymore?”

 

“Why do you think Ace would say that?”

 

Luffy shrugs, fiddling with the crayons, “Don’t know.”

 

“Okay,” Marco says slowly, carefully folding the piece of paper that he had grabbed. “Ace wanted to make sure you were okay and he’s sorry that you were so upset. He wants to spend time with you but he’s got work, like Law’s mom and dad.” Marco bites back a sigh and kneels so he can reach the table, his knees would kill him later. “What do you want to say on the outside?”

 

“Sorry.”

 

Marco nods, printing neatly, “And on the inside?”

 

“Ace, cause you gotta have the name of the person who the card’s for, right?” Luffy asks, refusing to continue until Marco nodded. “I’m real, real sorry that I said I hate you. I don’t. Please don’t be mad.”

 

“Do you want to say anything else?” Marco asks. “You can tell him that you miss him.”

 

“But I see Ace everyday.”

 

“You can miss someone even if you see them all the time.” Marco says softly, letting Luffy think it over. “I miss my dad if I don’t get to talk to him at least once a week. More than just hellos and asking if he’s okay. He’s my dad and I want to see him.”

 

Luffy sniffs, “Okay. I really miss you and I wanna play and see you more,” he rubs his eyes. “I know the hospickle is busy and I’m sorry for being mean, but I just want to play and go to the zoo. I,” he hiccups. “I miss you.”

 

“Tissue,” Marco whispers, handing him one from the pocket of his shorts. “Blow your nose and then if you would write your name? It’ll be all set and you can decorate how you want to, alright?”

 

“T-thank you,” Luffy sniffles, rubbing his eyes again. “Will Ace really forgive me?”

 

“He will, promise.”

 

Luffy nods, taking the card and starting to write his name, slowly and carefully. Marco shakes his head as he sits back down at his desk, putting his glasses back on as he looked over his plans for the next couple of days. He had planned several arts and crafts, but they had been based on fewer children being present. Which looked like it wouldn’t be happening with all the things that were going down at the hospital.

 

He taps his pen against the table, trying to remember what his supplies looked like, before giving up. He would have to check later and it wasn’t a good idea to leave the children alone. Not when Luffy was already upset and he’s sure that Law and, at least, Bepo were going to follow.

 

“Mr. Marco, do you think this look okay?” Luffy asks nervously, holding out his card.

 

“May I?” Marco asks softly, taking the card when he nods and looking it over. “A monkey?”

 

“Ace calls me a monkey when we go to the park.”

 

Marco laughs, “It’s cute, I think Ace will love it. Do you want to put it in your bag until he comes to pick you up?”

 

“Please? I,” Luffy yawns. “I wanna nap now, Mr. Marco.”

 

“Go to sleep, Luffy. I’ll wake you up in a little bit. Promise,” Marco waits for him to stumble back to his spot, falling face first onto the mats and falling asleep almost as soon as he hit the ground, snoring softly, before putting the card into Luffy’s backpack.

* * *

 

“You’re looking exhausted,” Ace blinks at Marco and tries to grin, “That’s even worse.”

 

“I’m exhausted, just got out of surgery and came to get Luffy. My mom is coming over with dinner so that I can feed both of us and then go ahead and pass out,” Ace admits. “And I’ve already been told that I’m going to have a shift tomorrow.”

 

Marco shakes his head, “They’re going to burn you out, aren’t they?”

 

“If they do, it won’t just be me. Dr. Water and I are both close to falling and not getting up,” Ace yawns. “Was it easier? After he was upset?”

 

“He’s fine,” Marco promises and if Ace wasn’t about to deal with a very upset Luffy and his mother, he would almost admit that Marco’s smile is cute. “He made you a card, look surprised when he gives it to you.”

 

“Of course,” Ace agrees. “Thank you, for calming him down and everything. I’m going to see if he’ll stay with my mom tomorrow, since he’s already had one break down on you.”

 

Marco hums, Ace is too tired because he hadn’t even noticed the glasses on his face. He can’t believe he missed them because Marco looks good with them, “I don’t mind if he comes in. He’s a kid and kids get upset. But if he wants to stay with your mother, that’s his choice.”

 

“ACE!” Luffy shrieks, slamming into him.

 

Ace stumbles, nodding his thanks when Marco catches him by the arm and keeps him from falling flat on his ass, “Hey buddy. Feeling better?”

 

“I’m sorry,” Luffy mutters into his leg. “I didn’t mean to say that I hated you. I don’t, please don’t leave me.”

 

“I’m not going anywhere, buddy,” Ace promises. “Come on, let’s go home. Tia has dinner for us and then I think we can watch a movie on my bed, sound good?”

 

“I have a card, like the one you got tia when you made her mad.”

 

Ace smiles slowly, “Yeah? Thank you. I’ll look at it when we get home, does that sound like a plan, buddy?”

 

“Uh huh!” he laughs when Ace lifts him up off his feet. “My bag too!”

 

“Your bag too, thank you,” Ace says grinning at Marco and accepting the bag. “I hope you have a good day and I’m sorry for everything, Marco.”

 

“Bye Mr. Marco!”

 

Ace bounces Luffy in his arms, “What movie are we gonna watch? I was thinking Treasure Planet, but I hear that tio said that you like Pirates?”

 

“Treasure Planet!”

 

“Treasure Planet it is,” Ace promises.


End file.
